Our top 10 tips for setting up a new business | Is marketing in your mind
Ok, you have set your company up at Companies House and have purchased your domain name to begin your businesses journey so we thought we would provide our Top 10 marketing tips to get your business off to a flying start.
Our Top 10 Marketing Tips
1. Create a website that clearly defines your offering
Less is more these days; speed to navigate and a clear offering are certainly important.
2. Set up social media accounts for your business
Make sure you brand all social media accounts in the same way so they have the same look and feel. People like consistency. We are often asked to produce brand guidelines for small and large businesses to make sure they have a set of rules for their brand. Things like type face and spacing and imagery consistency are all key.
3. Good content
Make sure your site has a purpose. Great brands have a bigger purpose that is brought to life through communications. Make sure your clients understand what you do, who you are and what you believe in.
4. Capture your clients’ data
The ability to communicate on an ongoing basis with your customers is essential. Offer freebies in return for newsletter sign up or free ebooks on topics related to your industry. Customers appreciate you helping them understand things. Educating people is a great way to position your brand in people’s minds and they will come back when they need help again. Start an email marketing plan and offer insight and value to your customers.
5. Stay old school
Some business traditions are worth keeping. We are great believers in producing high quality company letterheads, business cards, compliment slips and thank you cards. The ability to communicate in a professional way makes people realise you are serious about growing your business.
6. Go to one marketing seminar every six months
Admittedly it’s better to spend a day winning business. However, taking a day out here and there can really help you shape your marketing direction and pick up valuable insight. So many people are offering new business seminars and marketing insight. We truly recommend making the most of the opportunity to meet some industry professionals and grow your professional network. It’s surprising how sharing your challenges with others can help form new partnerships and opportunities. So, take a break, and let someone else help you grow.
7. Register your business on as many local business directories as possible
Companies, including our agency, are happy to do this for you. However, we also recognise budgets are often tight when first setting up a new business. It is a worthwhile exercise for you to undertake yourself as it will help drive new customers to your site and can also improve your search scores on Google, Bing and Yahoo. The more consistent the information about your business is on the internet the better you will perform online.
8. When you sell or achieve something, however small, get a review on your site or business directory
Always advertise that you’ve done a good job. As part of your customer service, add this link to your invoices or delivery confirmations to build up credibility fast.
9. Meet up with a marketing agency in your area
We often meet new start-ups. People realise that setting up a business, winning new clients, and managing cash flow, people, and premises, is challenging. A marketing agency can offer useful advice and insight to lessen the pressure. As your business grows over time, we can also help reduce your workload by taking on some of your marketing activities.
10. Our greatest tip is to find the marketing channel that is the most relevant to your target audience
Take time to learn how that marketing channel works. With the emergence of Vloggers/Bloggers on YouTube and many other online forums, the more you can understand how to interact with your audience the better. Marketing is not always about coming up with the most clever campaign but fishing where the fish are swimming.
Visit us to see how we can help your business grow.
